Conservative or Liberal, Deist or Pagan, Jersey transplant or Lehigh Valley native, we're all in this mess together. Let's talk. Let us do no harm. Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Where's Ott's Promised 16% Tax Cut?

When Lehigh County Comm'r Scott Ott and his so-called Reform Team ran Dean Browning out of town on a rail, two years ago, Ott promised he would do the following:

1. Eliminate an "unnecessary" 16% tax increase.
2. Cut spending. He would not just slow the growth.
3. Balance the budget.
4. Stop drawing down the county's reserves.

Ott is in control of a five-person majority of like-minded people on a Board with seven Republicans. how has he fared?

1. He cut taxes less than 3% last year, far less than the 16% he promised. If it was "uneccessry" why didn't he propose that it be completely eliminated with the reduction he called for last year? And why no further reduction this year?

2. Spending has actually increased. The 2014 budget that Team Ott has just reworked and amended, spends $2.1 million more than this year. It spends $1.6 million more than the budget before Ott came into office.

3. The deficit in the 2014 budget as amended by Ott is $7.7 million. That is up from $7.3 million for this year and up from $4.3 million in the supposedly irresponsible budget before Ott came into office.

4. The county's reserves are down to $17 million which is what Vic Mazziotti says is the bare minimum. That compares to $25 million when Ott came into office.

So two years ago Ott promised a number of specific items, none of which has delivered and now he wants to make the same promises to convince you to elect him County Executive? Based on what accomplishments? Other than threatening to starve 85 year old women and insulting President Judges, what has he really done?

Why have you flakked for Callahan for a full year without asking John the same question about his promised tax refund?

At least Ott delivered some kind of tax break. Callahan outright lied and went the other way.

By your standard, Ott is bad - but Callahan is unspeakably worse. Callahan also has ethical problems with drinking, caraousing, covering up family crimes, borrowing to meet city payroll, and being ejected from a kids' sporting event after berating a volunteer referee. We all talk about sports parents assholes and what a special breed of morons they are. John reached the pinnacle of this pile of crap with his ejection. His kids must live in shame every day.

I would have to guess that the answer to your question is that without another vote on the Board, there's only so much that can be done right now. Last year, two republicans colluded with the democrat board members, the democrat executive, and likely Muller to undermine greater cuts.

Let's not forget that the tax and spend budgets you want people to be angry at Ott for are Muller budgets. Ott cut spending on both those budgets.

Bottom line is that with Tom Muller you're on auto pilot for higher spending and higher taxes. At least Ott will fight to reduce both.

Scott Ott should answer the question for me! LOL. I'm glad Bernie picks and chooses his ethics. That's how he screwed his clients and reemerged to provide moral pronouncements for the rest of us. C'mon Scott! What are you hiding???!!!??? Go get him Bernie.

Let Ott win, after all the T party ass wipes are ruining the republican party as we know it. But they have not kept their pledge. As I recall federal funding was quite good under Bill Clinton. Maybe under a new Clinton administration Ott will be able to balance the books. But now. Ha, Ha, Ha.

7:20, Really? Let's see. Ott has 5 including himself. There are 2 Rs in addition who will band with him from time to time, so he does not have a veto proof majority, but he rules. The ruling junta, under Ott, proposed $5 million in cuts, not the $19.5 million they would need for a 16% tax cut. They walked away with $3 million in tax cuts while increasing spending and the deficit. It was completely and totally reckless. If this tax hike is unneeded, as Ott said, where are the budget cuts? Or was that just election rhetoric, like a pledge not to accept a raise?

All this would be a great narrative, were it not for the fact that these were Muller's budgets.

You can argue about the cuts as to whether they're not enough or the end of civilization as we know it (Bernie's doing both), but the fact remains we end up with more spending and higher taxes under Muller.

I know Muller doesn't have anything positive to run on, but I didn't think we'd see the desperation and smears this early.

What happened to the tax pledge 10:36 ? the republicans got the votes.Desperation and smears? 10:36 is a sound bite from Ott. 7 to 2 republicans on board and you cant keep your pledge. shame on your bullshit Ott

So the bottom line is 10:36 you pulled the rug out from under browning so you can all bullshit. Bullshit pledges, Bullshit conservatism, Bullshit freedom lovers and the T party is eating it up. Politics the breakfast of champions.

Let em rule, let em put forth a T party candidate in 2016,far right.Remember 1964.Then theres Dent, challenge him too in the primary in his geremandered district. Perfect political storm for dems. Hey T party , have a field day.

This weekend, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem celebrates its first year in business. Millions of Pennsylvania dollars have poured into the casino. Meanwhile, the taxpayers of Bethlehem are still waiting for the payout promised them by John Callahan.

In 2005, Mayor John Callahan said in defense of the pending casino at BethWorks that it “would be an enormous economic boost to the city . . . I would immediately be able to lower taxes and not have to raise them for a time."1

However when it came time to deliver, Callahan reneged. He opposed a Council vote that would have directly returned a portion of the Sands’ host fees to the taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. He called this effort “irresponsible” – proving yet again his firm belief that HE knows how to spend people’s money better than they do.

Callahan should answer the same question. At least Ott delivered something. Callahan delivered nothing, then lied about it. Callahan's ethics are very slippery. Charlie Dent warned us about Callahan. Scott should explain his partial delivery. Callahan should explain his utter failure.

You people don't even understand the laws and tax breaks Associated with the casino. The tax breaks are supposed to come from the state the city of Bethlehem never had money to give a text breaks they have a host fee to implement payment for more fire and police employees. Is Tax break was supposed to come from the state in the form of school tax reduction blame Gov. Corbett for that Not john Callahan. But I know you won't read the law because you're too ignorant and just want to have the story the way you want it.

Instead, Callahan spent the $7 million host fee – even though that represented more than 10 percent of the city’s 2009 budget. Callahan managed to increase spending by a record 12 percent for 2010. He even had to take $300,000 in un-budgeted casino money in 2009 (without Council approval, against city ordinance) to cover basic city expenses during the year. Callahan now says it will be five years before property tax cuts are possible – one year after his mayoral term expires. In other words, keeping Callahan’s promises will be the problem of the next Administration.

While taxpayers wait for their property tax cut, John Callahan has already reaped a windfall in the form of thousands of dollars in contributions from casino gambling interests — including $5,000 from Sands Corporation’s PAC just one week before it became illegal for Callahan to accept it.